W O R L D
C H A M P I O N S H I P
DATE: 1/18/2017
FROM: SPEC MIX®
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS: DOWNLOAD
Matt Cash wins the 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship
Las Vegas, NV—The 15th Anniversary of the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship is now in
the history books. It was held on Wednesday, January 18th in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 2017 World of
Concrete & Masonry tradeshow in front of the largest crowd of masonry fans ever. After the 60-minute
bricklaying battle came to the end and the judges went to work evaluating each of the 25 brick walls
constructed, it was North Carolina bricklayer Matt Cash, age 35, who took first place and the title “World‟s
Best Bricklayer.” Matt laid 716 brick to take top honors at the international bricklaying competition which
earned him the keys to a 2017 Ford F-250 XLT 4x4 truck in addition to $15,000 in cash and prizes.
It was only the young bricklayer‟s second attempt at winning the World Championship, but Matt was
confident he‟d find a spot in the winner‟s circle. In addition to his 17 years of experience, Matt comes from
the state known as the mecca of skilled masons and a company, Huntley Brothers, with a reputation for
developing young bricklayers into master masons. He admits, “When they called my name as the „World‟s
Best Bricklayer‟ it was a huge relief…I finally got that monkey off my back. All the guys at Huntley Brothers
and my family told me I was meant to win it, so it was a phenomenal feeling because I was up against a lot
of great bricklayers!” His 8-year old son, Logan Mason Cash, who‟s sure to be a bricklayer one day, has big
plans for the prize money, “Dad, with this money we can buy all the candy in the world!”
Matt‟s mason tender teammate was 45 year old Chet Huntley, who is also his boss and joint owner of
Huntley Brothers Company located in Mint Hill, North Carolina. Earlier that day in the preliminary SPEC MIX
TOUGHEST TENDER® competition Chet took first place by beating out the other 24 mason tenders who
race to stage all the materials used during the headlining bricklaying event. Although he started tending
mason at the age of 12, Chet didn‟t break the world record set in 2005 of 11 minutes, 7 seconds, yet he got
the job done in 15 minutes, 12 seconds and took home $2,500. “I was totally surprised I won…Heck my
mother watching back home couldn‟t believe at 45 I was the „Toughest Tender‟. It was a great feeling—but I
was thrilled for Matt—winning the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 was all he‟s talked about for the past 3-4
years, and he nailed it!”
In the competition‟s 15 year history it was the first time the bricklayer and mason tender each landed first
place victories in their respective competitions. In the masonry industry, teamwork and strategy play major
roles in a company‟s success; the same holds true for the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500. Two months prior
to the contest, after full days of laying brick on project sites, Matt, with Chet‟s help, trained by building the
official competition wall 10 separate times to perfect his craftsmanship and speed.
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That hard work and dedication certainly paid off. “It was an honor competing and being a part in something
that brings fun to our industry. Our whole family and company watched the competition on a big screen [TV]
back in the office and they went crazy when we won. This is just a great event for masonry…It promotes the
trade and gets kids excited about becoming a mason,” said Chet, who constantly mentors young masons on
quality workmanship and taking pride in their craft.
Bricklayer Matt Cash on his way to laying 716 brick to win the 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500
World Championship.
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Bill Wheeler (right) with Ford Commercial Vehicles closed the door of the Ford F-250 Super Duty
Truck after handing the keys to World Champion Matt Cash (left) as he holds up the SPEC MIX
BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship ceremonial trophy.
FIRST PLACE CASH & PRIZES
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FORD 2017 F-250 4x4 XLT Super Duty Truck
$5,000 check, SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Champion Jacket & 1st Place Trophy from SPEC
MIX®
STIHL TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine, 9” wheel, AR 900 battery, AL 500 high-speed charger
iQ POWER TOOLS 360 Table Saw Set, Rolling Table, Smart Cart and a 14” Silent Blade
BLAKLADER $1000 gift certificate
STABILA Custom Trophy 24” level and plaque
MARSHALLTOWN trophy trowel & loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag
GATORBACK Mortarboards - 10 pack
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Chet Huntley won the SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER award a time of 15:12:31. Chet was
the mason tender for bricklayer Matt Cash, the First Place winner of the SPEC MIX
BRICKLAYER 500.
SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER
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$2,500 check & SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER® Trophy from SPEC MIX
STIHL $700 Product Certificate
iQ POWER TOOLS $200 iQ gift pack & iQ jacket
BLAKLADER $500 Gift Certificate
MARSHALLTOWN loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag.
Once a year bricklayers gather from all over to compete at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World
Championship whose qualifying competitions are held earlier in the previous year. The First Place winners
of the Regional events advance to compete in Las Vegas during the World of Concrete trade show. This
year, 25 bricklayers competed for top honors.
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The 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship arena located in the Gold Lot of the Las
Vegas Convention Center.
SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN winner Brian Tuttle (left) and his mason tender Todd Eldredge (right)
stand by their winning wall.
The SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN Award is given to the team who builds the “most sellable” wall with over
500 brick and zero quality deductions. Bricklayer Brian Tuttle, age 42, with Quik Trowell Masonry of
Clearfield, Utah took home the 2017 honors. A mason for 22 years, Brian laid 536 brick to win the award.
His mason tender was Todd Eldredge. Considered a veteran of the event, over the past 15 years Brian has
competed a total of 14 times; 8 times as a bricklayer and 6 times as a mason tender, a record that has
never been challenged and will be tough to beat.
SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN CASH & PRIZES
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$5,000 Check & SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN Trophy from SPEC MIX
ESSICK PRO 12 Mortar Mixer
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STIHL TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine, 9” wheel, (2) AP 300 battery, AL 500 high-speed
charger
iQ POWER TOOLS iQPC912v Dust Control Power Cutter
BLAKLADER $1000 gift certificate
STABILA Custom Trophy 24” level and plaque
MARSHALLTOWN trophy trowel & loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag
GATORBACK Mortarboards - 10 pack
David Chavez (right) won second place with 658 brick laid. David’s mason tender was Omar Castro
(left),
both are with Ranch Masonry in Houston, Texas.
David Chavez, age 33, took second place by laying 658 brick with his tender Omar Castro. They are with
Ranch Masonry in Houston, Texas. No rookie to the event, David has competed in the SPEC MIX
BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship twice before. David has been a mason for 13 years and comes
from a family deeply rooted in masonry. David gives credit to his brother, Juan Carlos, who taught him the
skill and coached him rigorously for the World Championship; which they agree was time well spent.
SECOND PLACE CASH & PRIZES
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$4,000 Check & 2nd Place trophy from SPEC MIX
STIHL TSA 230 battery-powered cut-off machine, 9” wheel, AP 300 battery, AL 500 high-speed charger
iQ POWER TOOLS $200 iQ gift pack & iQ jacket
BLAKLADER $500 gift certificate
STABILA Custom Trophy 24” level and plaque
MARSHALLTOWN loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag
GATORBACK Mortarboards - 10 pack
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Esteban Cabral (left) took third place with 639 brick laid. His mason tender was Oscar Gaucin (right),
both
are with Phoenix Masonry of Denver, Colorado.
Esteban Cabral, age 31, took third place with 639 brick laid. His mason tender was Oscar Gaucin, both
employed by Phoenix Masonry of Denver, Colorado. Although he‟s been laying brick for 14 years, this was
the second time Esteban and Oscar competed as a team in the World Championship competition.
THIRD PLACE CASH & PRIZES
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$3,000 Check & 3rd Place trophy from SPEC MIX
STIHL $700 product certificate
iQ POWER TOOLS $200 iQ gift pack & iQ jacket
BLAKLADER $250 gift certificate
STABILA Custom Trophy 24” level and plaque
MARSHALLTOWN loaded SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 tool bag.
GATORBACK Mortarboards - 10 pack
An estimated 4,000 saw a display of skill, speed and stamina in an intense battle between 25 two-man
teams comprised of one mason and one mason tender racing against a 60-minute clock to build a 26‟-8”
double-wythe brick wall. While working at a feverish clip to install as many units as possible, each team
must adhere to the strict quality standards, judged by 30 highly qualified masonry experts enforcing 10 sets
of craftsmanship requirements. It‟s the world‟s largest masonry competition that decides which bricklayer
from the US, Canada, or England wins the title of “World‟s Best Bricklayer” and a purse of over $100,000 in
cash and prizes including a 2017 Ford F-250 4x4 XLT Super Duty truck.
The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 initiative was created to give back to the masonry trade and has
expanded in many positive aspects. Regardless of its growth the event remains laser-focused on achieving
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its original goals of uniting the masonry industry and putting the craft‟s trowel-toting artisans on the world‟s
stage. It‟s also taken on the role as the masonry industry‟s top marketing campaign, frequently leveraged by
industry professionals to infuse a strong sense of pride within its craftsmen, as well as masonry instructors
using it as a tool to recruit young adults and individuals looking to start a new career.
Event sponsors: The 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship relies on the support of its
outstanding sponsors who help promote the craftsmanship of masons and the masonry construction
industry.
PLATINUM LEVEL
SPEC MIX®
QUIKRETE® Companies
Ford Commercial Vehicles
The Belden Brick Company
Hydro Mobile
Multiquip, Inc.
STABILA
GOLD LEVEL
Blaklader
iQ Power Tools
MARSHALLTOWN
MCAA
Mortar Net Solutions™
Prism Pigments
STIHL Inc.
CONTRIBUTOR LEVEL
AZ Best Block
Easy-Spred®
GATORBACK®
Jackson® Professional Tools
JagClamp
Safway® Scaffold
Xtreme Manufacturing
HD Supply®
To download a selection of high resolution photos from this event, click here.
For more information on this event go to:
SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER®
www.specmixbricklayer500.com or go to The 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championship
Digital Magazine that will give you a history and background of the Regional and World Championship
competition program.
More about SPEC MIX®:
SPEC MIX is the construction industry‟s national source for high quality; factory preblended cement-based
building products for the construction industry. With more than 60 manufacturing facilities in all major
markets across the US and Canada, SPEC MIX production plants utilize state of the art batching equipment
and the finest materials to ensure total quality control throughout your project. SPEC MIX offers a deep line
of masonry mortars and grouts, stucco and industrial products including various patented silo systems to
maximize a contractor‟s productivity and safety. The mission of SPEC MIX is to keep your jobsite team
going, moving and working safely—all day, every day.
Additional information:
World of Concrete is the industry‟s ONLY annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete
and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry‟s leading
suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, and
a world-class education program. Visit www.worldofconcrete.com for complete show details
NOTE USE OF TERMS: Please respect all legal trademarks for trade use. In print, the correct way to refer
to the competition event is the 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® World Championship, and MASONRY
MADNESS® or MASONRY MADNESS® Day, case use as shown. The award titles for SPEC MIX TOP
CRAFTSMAN, and SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER®, should be in all caps followed by the word, “award.”
When writing about our corporation the correct way to write our corporate name is SPEC MIX ®. If referring
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to SPEC MIX brand the correct way is SPEC MIX®. The ® mark should always be used on the 2017 SPEC
MIX BRICKLAYER 500®, and SPEC MIX® the first time either term is used in body copy and always used
when either term is in a headline or sub-headline. The same is correct for MASONRY MADNESS® or
MASONRY MADNESS® Day.
If any of these title terms are used for mass media news or editorial use, we ask that the full term be used at
least once at the beginning of the article, thereafter, “event or competition” would be acceptable terms.
Please do not cut, rename or edit the legal trademarked name of the event so as to maintain the legal brand
name and its integrity.
If you have any questions regarding this event, need high resolution print images, video footage or logos,
contact the following:
Jeff Farmakes
SPEC MIX®
Marketing Communications
O: 888-773-2649 Ext. 4
C: 612-306-5672
E: [email protected]
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